"More Guts Than Brains" — Resilience, Reinvention, and Lifelong Learning with MGMA Fellow Pat Kroken

On this episode of the MGMA Insights Podcast, host and senior editor Daniel Williams has a wide‑ranging conversation with Pat Kroken — MGMA Fellow, healthcare communications leader, and competitive powerlifter — about resilience, career reinvention, and the unexpected paths that shape leadership in healthcare.

From books and community learning to recovering from a life‑altering injury and competing on the world stage, Pat shares stories and lessons that resonate far beyond titles or job descriptions.

Episode Takeaways

• A lifelong love of reading can become a professional advantage — especially when paired with community discussion and shared perspectives, as seen in the MGMA Book Club.
• Careers in healthcare don’t always begin with a plan — sometimes they begin with a phone call, transferable skills, and the willingness to say yes.
• MGMA involvement at the state and national levels can accelerate learning, expand professional networks, and open leadership opportunities early in a healthcare career.
• The FACMPE provides structure, credibility, and confidence — particularly for professionals entering healthcare from other industries.
• Resilience is often learned through adversity; trusting the process can be essential when navigating injury, recovery, or major life transitions.
• Strength training and competitive powerlifting taught discipline, risk‑taking, and mental toughness that translated directly into leadership and career growth.
• Community learning — whether through book discussions or professional associations — offers insights and perspectives that individual study alone cannot provide.
• Pushing personal limits, even without a clear end goal, can unlock opportunities and capabilities you never imagined possible.

Related Resources

• Connect with Pat on LinkedIn
• USA Powerlifting (USAPL) - the organization Pat competed with
• The Resilience Factor by Karen Reivich, PhD, and Andrew Shatté, PhD
• MGMA Book Club
• FACMPE certification
• MGMA Podcast Network

Email us at dwilliams@mgma.com if you would like to appear on an episode. If you have a question about your practice that you would like us to answer, send an email to advisor@mgma.com. Don’t forget to subscribe to our network wherever you get your podcasts!